3 Seaplane losses

[Adam]

Can someone help me with the identity of three aircraft lost/damaged in 1940?

The first is a Do 18 which force landed on the Skagerak on 19/11/40. It wore the codes (I think) 8L+ML but if anyone has further info on WNr., damage or crew it would be good.

Similarly, I have nothing for two He 115s. The first was lost 13/7/40 over Thames and the other on 7/8/40 which failed to return from a sortie off the English Coast. Any further details on these two aircraft would be most appreciated.

Thanks in advance

Adam

[Laurent Rizzotti]

13/7/40: He 115 of 3/906 believed hit by AA over the Thames Estuary during mining operations at night. Reported lost by Germans on the 12th but British recoords indicate an aircaft was hit and blew up over the Thames Estuary in the early hours of the 13th. Oblt zur See Hildebrand and Ltn DR Steinert killed, one missing

7/8/40: no loss found but another He 115 of 3/906 damaged by AA gunfire in Firth of Forth area at night, damaged at 20%, one crew wounded

Source: Mason's old book "Battle over Britain"

As for the two first men, there are a Oblt Joachim Hildebrand buried at Nordeney (death date given as 14 July) and a Ltn Dr Gerhard Steinert buired at Hamburg (death date given as 5 August), according to the Volksbund website. The death date may be the date the body was found (in second case), or the loss was reported (on the first) or they are somebody else with the same name.

Usually when crew are reported killed, their body was found either by one side or the other. This loss is not reported in "The blitz then and now",so no body was recovered by British. Then it seems logical that they are buried on the continent, but they also may be not reported by the Volksbund site.

[Seaplanes]

Do 18 on 19.11.40: Only one loss was reported this date and that was a Do 18 (or a Do Wal) lost near the island of Gotland in the Baltics. It belonged to Fl. Waffenschule (See) 1 and all four crewmembers were reported missing. The W.Nr. was reported as 760, but this belonged to the Do 24V1.

He 115 on 13.7.40: He 115B W.Nr. 2736 of 3./906 (unit code not known). Reported missing from a mine laying sortie over the Thames-Estuary.
Oblt.z.See Hans Joachim Hildebrand (observer) killed, Lt.z.See Dr. Gerhard Steinert (pilot) killed and Fw. Hermann Plundtke (radio-operator) missing.

He 115 on 07.08.40: I have no serious damage or loss to any He 115 on or around this date.

[Laurent Rizzotti]

Hi, Seaplanes,

can you confirm that the both men buried in Nordeney and Hamburg are the crew of the He115 lost on the 13th of July ? In this case, I will contact Volksbund to indicate them the right date of death.

[Seaplanes]

The loss of He 115 on 13.07.1940 can be found by combining details in the following two records:
Kriegstagebuch Gen.d.Lw.b.Ob.d.M. für Juli 1940
Kriegstagebuch Gen.d.Lw.b.Ob.d.M./O.Qu. für Juli 1940.
Here you will find the full names and the aircraft Werkenummer.